PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain have made life difficult for themselves ahead of next week's UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Manchester City after allowing Manuel Pellegrini's men to escape Parc des Princes with two vital away goals in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.
The French champions were slow off the mark in Paris and David Luiz's booking inside the opening 20 seconds was a sign of things to come for the hosts.
Blaise Matuidi and the Brazil international played significant roles in allowing Kevin De Bruyne to open the scoring for the visitors after 38 minutes, while the returning Serge Aurier and captain Thiago Silva aided Fernandinho for City's second 18 minutes from the end.
Before De Bruyne put the Premier League outfit ahead, Zlatan Ibrahimovic saw his first half penalty saved by the returning Joe Hart. The Sweden international then blazed wildly over when played through by an inch-perfect Thiago Motta pass.
PSG levelled three minutes after City's opener, but it took a calamitous mix-up between Hart and the woeful Fernando to gift Ibrahimovic the equaliser.
A youth academy prospect in Manchester for six months back in 2008, Adrien Rabiot put Laurent Blanc's men 2-1 up after 59 minutes. However, Les Parisiens could not find a third and their vulnerable defence was exposed once again 13 minutes later when Fernandinho netted.
Matuidi and Luiz will be missing when the Ligue 1 champions travel to Etihad Stadium next week, making an already tough task even more challenging for PSG. It could be that those suspensions and two poorly conceded goals see the French capital outfit make for a premature exit from the Champions League.
Player ratings (1-10; 10=best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Kevin Trapp, 5.5 -- Beaten twice but otherwise rarely tested, the German goalkeeper made one or two routine saves but nothing out of the ordinary. The 25-year-old could perhaps have done better on De Bruyne's opener but was not as guilty as Matuidi or Luiz for the goal.
DF Serge Aurier, 5.5 -- Given a mixed reception pre-match, the Parc des Princes crowd were jeering the Ivory Coast international by the time he was substituted after 78 minutes. Although the 23-year-old was by no means appalling for the majority of his performance, his role in City's second goal cannot be ignored and that Fernandinho strike could ultimately cost PSG their place in the semi-finals.
DF Thiago Silva, 5 -- The captain must take his fair share of responsibility for City's second goal. Although Aurier was also heavily implicated, the Brazilian played a significant role, adding to a poor night for the hosts' all-Brazilian defence.
DF David Luiz, 3 -- Shown a yellow card after just 14 seconds for a foul, the Brazil international's night did not get any better from there. Although he won the debatable penalty that PSG were awarded after 14 minutes, the South American put in another disappointing display in a run of shaky showings. The 28-year-old's suspension for the second leg gives Marquinhos a big chance to impress.
DF Maxwell, 6 -- Although he could perhaps have given Luiz some more help on De Bruyne's opener, both Brazilians were caught at a disadvantage by Matuidi's poor pass. Otherwise, the veteran Brazilian was solid at the back and contributed at times going forward.
MF Thiago Motta, 7 -- For the first time in weeks, the Italy international did not look lost without Marco Verratti alongside him. The 33-year-old was metronomic in the PSG midfield and played a superb pass to set up a first half chance that Ibrahimovic really should have converted. Otherwise, the Azzurri star relished the physical battles against the City midfield.
MF Adrien Rabiot, 7.5 -- A former youth academy starlet in Manchester, the France under-21 international came back to haunt his former employers by sweeping home on the hour after Hart had saved a Edinson Cavani header. The 21-year-old was mature in his performance and continues to impress in Verratti's absence.
MF Blaise Matuidi, 6 -- Harshly booked early in the second half, the France international will miss the return leg in Manchester. PSG losing the 28-year-old is pretty much like having their engine removed, but that motor also cost them the opener by gifting City possession. However, Les Parisiens' No. 14 did recover and enjoyed a particularly strong finish to the match.
FW Edinson Cavani, 6 -- It was a rare occasion that the Uruguay international actually out-performed his two attacking teammates. Preferred, somewhat surprisingly, to Lucas Moura pregame, El Matador worked extremely hard, was unselfish, contributed defensively and even made some good passes. It was the Celeste star's header that led to Rabiot's strike and the PSG No. 9 could have even had a goal himself if Matuidi's cross late in the first half had been accurate.
FW Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 5.5 -- Although he scored the hosts' equaliser, the Swede had an off night. It started when Hart saved his penalty after 14 minutes and it got even worse when he blazed over after being played in brilliantly by Motta later in the first half. The 34-year-old did hit the bar with a header in the second 45, but it was far from vintage Ibrahimovic.
FW Angel Di Maria, 5 -- Largely anonymous until his corner created Rabiot's goal via Cavani, the Argentina international must be more influential in the second leg. The likes of Maxwell and Matuidi put in better crosses than El Fideo on the night and the PSG No. 11 needs to do better in Manchester.
Substitutes:
FW Lucas Moura, NR -- Sent on for Rabiot with 12 minutes remaining, the Brazilian linked up nicely with the likes of Ibrahimovic but it was too little too late by then. Blanc should have sent the 23-year-old on much earlier.
DF Gregory van der Wiel, NR -- The Netherlands international replaced the unpopular Aurier after 78 minutes but was unable to contribute anything significant in attack or defence in such a short amount of time.